Sex once a fortnight secret to happiness in 70s, says study

A new study now suggests that life is actually more enjoyable if one has an active love life, even in the 70s.

The key to contentment in later life may be as simple as having sex every fortnight.

For men, having sex at least twice a month can lead to happiness, while women are more interested in kissing and the emotional closeness of sleeping with their husband or partner.

According to the research led by Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, experts found older people were far happier if they had made love in the last 12 months, which could be down to feelings of post-coital 'bliss' or the benefits of the exercise involved.

Speaking about the study, lead author Dr Lee Smith, an exercise expert at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, said that there is a misconception that older people are not interested in sex, but it is important and can reduce their risk of heart problems and early death. She added that the study found sex can improve people's enjoyment of life.

The research is based on questionnaires given to 6,879 people over the age of 50 about their sex lives over the past year.